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musik non stop with your host the all night wonder

At the Bay subway station on a summer night there was a young lady waiting for a train. It was hard not to notice the Joy Division shirt she was wearing.

The timing had to be more than coincidence [as Gibbs on NCSI says: “I don’t believe in coincidences”].

At the moment, we have been pouring over shelves of record stores acquiring the odd bits of Joy Division Substance [alas on 180 gm vinyl] and laughing along with the words of Peter Hook in Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division

and sighing over all the band histories so casually talked about in The Hacienda: How Not To Run A Club.

While still not having finished reading to the end of either in these early days, there is a reader’s wistfulness nonetheless knowing what is to come [there is no disguise to the fact by Peter Hook in Unknown Pleasures as he references the portrayals of singer and lyricist Ian Curtis in the two films 24 Hour Party People and Control].

Mike Scott and the Waterboys Whole of the Moon blasting out of the speakers.

We have talked a few times in the past Mike Scott and me, in person when The Waterboys opened for U2 and a set at the Diamond Club, and some old letters.

Sunday Bloody Sunday. New Year’s Day. Pride.

Was this going to be the original U2 setlist from twenty years ago? The last time U2 was One with the audience during Innocence and Experience U2 barely touched War or Unforgettable Fire. But hearing the songs from War conjured the memories of sitting in bleachers at CNE Exhibition Stadium peering past pillars and posts.

The Luscious London Lunch Ladies vs Kingston’s Disloyalists
and
The Thames Fatales vs Hamilton’s Hammer City Eh Team

Saturday Nov 24th, 2012
Doors open at 5 pm,
first game at 6pm
second game 830
Western Fair Grounds Agriplex building,
All ages, children under 10 free
advanced tickets 12 dollars
15 dollars at the door
This is a licensed event
online tickets available athttp://www.westernfairdistrict.com/sports/forest_city_derby_girls
or from your favourite Forest City Derby Girl.

La La Land is a visual and musical tour de force. Nostalgic, evocative, old-fashioned, classic oeuvre. A throwback to the golden era, harkening Fred and Ginger, classic scenes from Marilyn, Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, the magnificent An American in Paris, the soundstage from Judy Garland’s last scene from MGM musical Summer Stock Get Happy which in itself is a tragic counterpoint to the sweeping of time of the movie – the what-if in the City of Stars.

La La Land strikes all the right chords – even down to the so perfect jazz references, the Coltrane and Chet Baker photos, to Bird – Charlie Parker, the Miles Davis riff from L’Ascenseur d’echaffaud.

La La Land is a classic boy meets girl off to rocky start, then the connection is made. Mia is an auditioning actress serving as a barista on a Hollywood studio lot, literally down the street from stardom. Sebastian is a talented down on his luck pianist, reduced to playing Christmas classics for the entertainment of the diners. steeped in the roots of jazz. Sad at the demise of classic clubs and hoping to start his own club. Sebs.

“I hate jazz” and the subsequent turnaround of Emma Stone’s character Mia while Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian sacrifices his dream for a new one in its stead, playing in some form of futuristic fusion jazz band led by John Messenger.

The noisy club as narrow and confining as it was afforded little room to move. Dirty Jeans merchandise was laid out on the table – cd, shirts, even a white sleeve with vinyl – while the camera was unloaded and loaded. Nonetheless the outside world continued to pour in packing the place wall to wall, back to front. Overheated by the throng of young fans in contrast to the frigid clime outside, the band went into overdrive. To quote” “it was super busy in there.” There were the usual kerfuffles with cords or amps and soundchecking which only add to the elements of live club shows.

The showtime conditions were so eerily reminiscent of the Sonic Youth show at the Warehouse packed to the gills, shooting through the crowd and tall heads chaotic get what you can when you can. On first encounter, Dirty Jeans hailing from the area of the Hammer could be called a fun bunch blend of Babes in Toyland and punk rock frenzy. Lindsay Bird [known from an early incarnation of Mittenz or Anti-Queens] is the manic we got the beat drummer who finds the one and can down a pitcher of water in a go. Ashley Sloggett is guitar, Kelly Boag is bass.

When a band deserves an encore, they get an encore and unfurling their rendition of Runaways classic “Cherry Bomb”.

Then it was back into the frigid outside to pack the camera gear away and discuss motor drives with one of the punters and then others going in to shoot their shots in liquid form. Meanwhile, it was just a walk up the streets to the remnants of the blacked out Honest Ed’s and the subway home back to suburbia.

Connoiseurs of Paint will be familiar with their movie 11:11 [released late 2015 with its red carpet premiere at the Royal Cinema in Toronto].

That movie only served to further whet their taste for the big screen. Paint are no stranger to rendering musical visualization, hence the Reservoir Dog narrative Boomerang or the Where We Are Today multiple video project.

With the massive scale of U2 Rattle and Hum in mind, Paint took to bring their own concert to life in a club that was as familiar and intimate as home.The backroom of the Cameron was as densely packed as Sun Devil Stadium was for U2 in Rattle and Hum. A white overhand curtain behind the drum kit awaited the projections for the night while the Paint underground sign and the oversized letters that spelled out the name of the band decorated the rest of the stage.

Inveterate veterans of Vancouver and Toronto, Paint have made their mark with a larger than life be your own hero (the main singer did run for Mayor of Toronto after all) mentality that is reflected in the lyrics and live sound that has rumbling undertones of classic Manchester from yesteryear.

(dis)PLAY is an barrage and explosion of kinetic ideals and thoughts, transcending walls and barriers. Visuals from 11:11 behind the live soundtrack performance, newsclips and silent era movie clips counterpoint and superimpose over the loosely tight performance of the band bathed in the blue light.

Lyrics and moral of the story. Bonfire of the Vanities. The overall soundtrack tunes, whether they be autobiographical or apocryphal, memoirs or reflections can be funny, strident or when at their best pop edged. The concert is a procession through the history of the stalwart band. The cinematography pans and sweeps and reveals the cameras front of stage trying to keep up with the moody dynamics of the band [the only flaw in the concert scenes is the one or way too many back of the head shots of the photographer present front row, admittedly long time such.]

Sing it.

By the time the concert is over the traveller has is on the journey back to home.

“For the first time at TIFF 2015, Filmerge, an independent filmmakers’ collective established in Toronto, is hosting the Emerging Filmmakers Gala this year happening on the 15th at the Studio Event Theatre over on King St. West. Originally founded by a group of Toronto filmmakers, Filmerge focuses on independent talent and helping each other break into the industry.

The Emerging Filmmakers Gala is, of course, one of the events they have created in order to get the upcoming filmmakers acquainted with some of the best professionals in the industry. At this event, the newcomers who want to be known are considered VIPS. There are five film projects getting funds raised on this particular special night. These include a science fiction rock opera called 11:11.”
— Hollywood North Magazine

Throw a little gala party for FILMERGE Emerging Artists during TIFF 2015, add a little Paint, spin some music from DJs and you have a first class evening for everyone replete with fashionable overtones. Hosted by Liz May and Ryan Stephenson Price (who directed 11:11) who have emerged after two years to debut the film during TIFF at the Royal Cinema on September 11, 2015. Paint, fronted by the writer of the film Robb Johannes, performed a set of new and classic tunes that night, including a certain Modern English tune.

The rest of the photos in this collection from FILMERGE Gala are here at the Flickr site [click on photo below]:

Once upon a time a long, long time ago – [postscript: from February 15, 2011]

Thought I would add some early notes from a Paint show. Not sure when this was. It was a good time nonetheless with this rendition of the sound.

Paint has gone through lots of revelations since, and is barreling ahead with a slew of shows comprising a month of Tuesdays this month of October 2013 at C’est What. Paint have been their own openers playing at 9:30 p.m. and then mingling with the crowd in an effort to chat and get to know each other early on. Spicing up and adding a laugh to the night has been a line-up of comedians taking a five minute turn on the stage. You never know what the world finds funny or sardonic. Getting to see Jenna Strautman doing double duty last Tuesday and getting double pay performing with her two bands of the moment Rotary Dial and that band Paint in both she plays bass with more prominent vocals and flute and presence in Rotary Dial.

At the moment, Paint are putting up a hell of a fight and making their presence more known to the world – a visual project on the go and new songs on the fly for the next ep.

Starting today, Paint has begun an IndieGogo campaign to raise funds for the following endeavours:

* The production and recording of Paint’s next EP (!);

* The production of a black-and-white narrative film to accompany the EP;

* Completion of the Capsulated DVD compilation of all 10 music videos from Where We Are Today plus bonus videos from Can You Hear Me? and special features; and

* Completion of the “Boomerang” music video, which is currently in post-production

Paint are the masters of hope: “Despite the seemingly equal platform of the internet, this is truly the most difficult time in history to be a musician. The market is so oversaturated with bedroom demos and this can discourage, overwhelm, and simply confuse audiences to the point of just tuning out. We’re just grateful that people keep coming back to see our shows. We’re varying our setlists and giving something different each time we walk on stage, as well as respecting our audience and their intelligence more than most “pop” acts do by challenging them with music that has some social and intellectual content, and inviting them be part of the experience of telling the band’s story. I think that’s why we’re going to survive.”

So what else can we say for the here and now: where we are today is help support the hardest working bunch of musictypes in this city and all manner of good things will boomerang back at you.

On the night before the stroke of midnight which would mark her birthday, The Anti-Queens launched a total sonic destruction showcase featuring their tunes and their new wares: brand new EP and t-shirts!

Hardened veterans now, all semblance of innocence and naiveté knocked out of them, they got down to the business of being The Anti-Queens. They still are dedicated to fun on stage with a few goofy moments, but with the clock ticking on their NXNE 2013 platform [albeit small platform at the Bovine Sex Club] the full floor were presented with a hair-whipping, rocking good time, capped at midnight with beer and shots to mark the birthday of Emily.

Paint comes to the forefront at Magpie on a Sunday night to close the proceedings for another year.

The show at the Magpie reveals some new stellar changes to the band, including brand new bassist Jenna Strautman [from Dreadful Starlings] at her first NXNE. Talking about burying the lead. It was hot and sticky and rock and roll in the steambath that was the Magpie, [which was a bit of a shock given the coolness of the night air outside]. Certain old songs from the Paint repertoire emerged again from Can You Hear Me such as its lead track Don’t Blow Me Away, Strangers and the video song Madonna… To begin anew with new mates, sometimes you have to start at the beginning and relearn or learn the songs in the portfolio with a fresh ear. Through the transition that has been Paint it has been a pleasure and puzzle to see and meet the various new members of the band and guests along the way. The lead singer still needs a haircut. Where We Are Today is almost Where We Are yesterday as additional tunes comes in the perpetually changing repertoire. The band that wants to change the world. That is Paint. With a female bass player. There is a rock god out there.

With a swing of the hips on guitar and a bit of swagger in the boots Paint launched into their month of November residency at C’est What down there on 66 Front Street (at Front and Church not too far away from King Station on the TTC).

A hop down the stairs (but be careful because there are stairs) and a step to the left and it looked like a full dinner crowd in the space. C’est What and Paint have become a notable pairing, what more could one ask for with C’est What beer and dining while one watches the hardest working band in Canada always on the go, looking to make another mark with its breadth of embracing songs from its discography.

A prior residency of Paint at the intimate C’est What led to the high profile court case involving the band and the support of the club over the postering charges laid down by the law. And now Paint were back with its unique selection of entertainment: an opening band from Paint’s select list of band friends, and a comedian to help warm up the evening and provide in between set crowd amusement (because as one knows, Paint are not gifted joke tellers).

Receiving or snarking the setlist from Paint at the end of the night was over has been a tiny (and appreciated) ritual. The list for the night revealed three new tunes (two of them being Bonvire of Vanities and Shattered Hearts) immersed amongst the crowd favourites found on their two CDs to date. Some of the background trouble and turmoil in the Paint scene has provided the fuel for song creation. The sound of Paint is always in flux as is the roster of musicians who show up on stage depending on the circumstance of the moment. The echo of ring and chime and metronomic syndrum and keys slides sidewise into a mesh of sproing and crunchy guitars. And one can never count on the standby songs sounding the same as mysterious introductions swirling in the dark finally lead to the moment of recognition. Paint must be secretly planning world domination with the grandiose stage show at Coachella or Reading Festival that lies just around the corner.

The atmosphere for the night was not just anticipation for seeing Paint in familiar surroundings, but the feeling of doom and tension stemming from the election results pouring from the televisions. Worry and gloom gave way to a whoop and celebration onstage by Paint as the results from Ohio projected into victory for the incumbent President. Indeed, it was just another manic Monday on a Thursday.

The evening was led off by Craig Fay, an affable comedian with a dry taste for contemporaneous storytelling that one had to think almost one beat too long to get the point. Then the laughter came.

The first time we saw Paint in a previous Mandy on guitar incarnation at C’est What was also the first time to see some ska-kicking poppy ladies called Mittenz who definitely knew how to rock out. Three degrees of Mittenz separation later Hayley Stark were the opening band for the Tuesday night. Hayley Stark have come a long way since a previous viewing at the benefit for Girls Rock Camp Mississauga where they were a gentle folksy foursome on the stage. Hayley Stark are not that band now with a plus of guitars rocking out and more laughter on stage refuting any prior sombre demeanour.

Another set with more laughter from the comedian Craig Fay, the subject of the ihatecraigfay.com site then through the electoral gloom and doom Paint emerged. New patter, new talk, new songs, new shattered strut.

However, you paint it, Paint is still the star of the night. And they may not realize is the constant travel on the road has led to an easy confidence and given them a bit of that hippy hippy shake on stage. And we did mention moves like Jagger [but not in shades of maroon].

Now She Leaves has a hidden irony, the Girl in the Frame has become unhinged but Home is still Home on a manic monday, and you may be strangers when we meet, but friends with a beer before you leave. Did we mention that a certain President won an election?

More to say, more new music to hear through November at C’est What every Tuesday. Stay tuned for the drama and new songs in the offering.

Have not visited here in a while – all due apologies to all Gentle Readers out there – life in #derby has been taking over. But there have been more than a couple of interesting shows that have been witnessed and perused lately.

This comes from September 25th at Nu Music Night at The Horseshoe Tavern here in Toronto.

It was like going back to the beginning of it all when we first saw Paint. Although Mandy and Andre and company have been superseded, the singer seems to still be in place with a drastic new look and hairdo.

Paint has a leaner sound now but still replete with power crunch from Nathan with flying hair and ringing guitars when singer Robb Johannes still deigns to doff the six string. The stoic Nik on bass is just the solid Adam Clayton rooted in place [and he knows it] foundation for the band [which is why is still in Paint]. Drums are different now, not the syndrum percussiveness of the past, just driving on the beat.

The crowd for an 8:40 p.m. show. Pretty extraordinary considering the time of night, but when it’s The Horseshoe, you come when they say so, because everything runs like clockwork. It could have been a 20 minute showcase or an hour show. No matter what, Paint had to come on like gangbusters and lay it on the line. The ever changing Home was daring, venturing into Stones territory [so appropriate considering the history of The Horseshoe venue]. With less guitar to play changes the Paint singer into more of a showman with a natural flair for moves, but probably has to bump his head on the ceiling a few more times or hit the floor to approach the crowd find his limits.

Paint, rockstars and entertainers with a sincere change the world with heart attitude.

Things move a pace at the #paint and #mittenz camp. But we really really miss seeing established bands doing their thing – big lights big sound big crowds – of course with the crux of be careful of what you wish for.

Smashing Pumpkins were everything we had ever wanted at the time when CFNY was more than just The Edge, it was the bloody bleeding leading edge, and the excitement of a sold-out Diamond or was it the Phoenix by then of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, plus being part of the official photo pit waiting for Billy and of course d’arch and James and Jimmy. A sweaty time and a sweaty crowd and the rep looked worried as we began to hit the nervous button.

Then the stage lights and the blare of the orchestral Tonight, Tonight and the show was on. The vampires in the crowd were lapping it all up and the zero generation had their star a-shining.

It was like lightning, exciting, guitars and lights a-blazing, adore fans a-gazing. Loud, pompous, Smashing Pumpkins loomed overhead, all striking in black, and all so close you could almost touch their shoes.

Greetings and Happy New Year again! It’s been a while but here is a quick note for now.

Miss Q Collective Presents: ROCK THE BARD – was where Paint were on Thursday. The most recent edition of Paint rocked the bard and the new edition of the band in a very humorous and musikladen nacht devoted to raise awareness and funds for the Shakespearing devotees of Love’s Labour’s Lost.

As for tonight: #mittenz say: Don’t Touch That Dial Presents: Crooked Hill, Patti Cake and Mittenz! That’s tonight Sunday at The Garrison at 9 p.m. showtime for #mittenz. Good times tonight!

In the meantime, here below is a reminder of what #mittenz did at C’est What back in December, once again performing with #paint!

Hail Gentle Reader out there! That’s you looking at this morass of images and verbs and nouns. A small intro before we sail into the piece being written here. It has been a while since we’ve doodled some words here about Paint and Mittenz and those Derby type ladies in Spitfist and all the rest including Balconies. It beehoves us to lay down some fresh Paint and here is something from the CD release party of September 9, 2011.

;

It’s only half the story but we have to take what we got. On a Friday night with just the slightest tinge of summer in the air, and the Labour Day weekend just behind us, it was back down to the corners of Queen and Spadina and a short but heavy packed with all the camera gear hurried walk
to try to catch Paint before they hit their stage at what was supposed to be the pendulum swing of midnight.

Getting past the security who were being arbitrary and then the polite doorlady who waved us in with a brief wave after introducing ourselves as the Paint photographer du jour du soir. However, a quick gander of the setlist being placed on the stage of the floor certainly did not look to be of any songs of Paint type ilk. Lesson learned again: set times are never ascribed in stone.

Instead, Paint type friends Cheap Speakers were still due and they ran through a set that was a different style rock that had their fans in a wailin’ wave bluesy vibe.

In the deep background, maestro Robb was being deep hidden in The Hideout band closet where he was safely locked away. Andre drums and skins were entertaining the ladies and gents in the hallways. Marcus was tuning in the murk beside the rack of strings. Mandy was drinking beer in the dark. The photographer was setting up lighting as a lark and a shot in the park.

As Friday came and went and midnight was in the past and Saturday was really upon us in the local timezone, it was time for Paint to be embraced by the world. It was an astonishing set by the Paint quartet – a night and day difference from the newly minted Paint trio who were seen just previously at The ElMo downstairs. [more of that in the Paint story that should be forthcoming]. With a swagger and a ton of verve that struck the nerve with the crowded throng approaching the front of the stage, yet not quite taking that final step to the stage itself. Paint have learned to accept that, because this show did take a stepping back to absorb the full scale assault of light and sound. The Hideout has one thing going for it and that is a great set of stagelights and a real rock sound to their speakers. But this night was special for it was their night of nights, no more rehearsing and nursing a part, they know every part by heart, Paint were loose yet focused on delivering the goods to the masses. It was a night of release – of the CD and pent-up anticipation. Launching Where We Are Today into the stratosphere, this was the night they had been waiting for in Toronto. For months upon months since the winter they had been promising that new CD and testing the songs before all manner of crowds and stages we had been privy to seeing and shooting, from C’est What to NXNE to Bovine Sex Club in Toronto to who knows where outside the city, spouting friendly jokes to all the folks. And always welcoming in the new fans and building the base. All that was was behind them, for this night was theirs and they knew it.

The crew on stage were so focused on performing the contents of Where We Are Today, no room for loosey goosey and Mandy had no mic for the night. But Mandy was the secret weapon of the night and an awesome, swaggering force on guitar. It was all it took for Robb to say it all and stay in step and lock but that was the job of the ever stoic Marcus on unbelievable bass. Andre may have lost the power to his laptop but keeping a fluid and metric beat at the same time is his duty. Any remnants of the old chimey Paint were lost in the new crunch of the guitar chords and an aethereal Mandy on oooh and ahhs coming out of nowhere amidst it all and in the mist of la nuit. It was a cascade of guitar upon guitar, with nuance upon nuance of emotional lyricism laid on top. The pace ebbed and flowed piquing the interest of the crowd. It really must be said that Paint have a penchant for effusive pop, catchy tunes and crafty words that evoke picturesque imagery. The Girl in a Frame was a special moment as the crowd played along running on the spot on the club floor, mimicking the ever running Paint in their video. [Check the paint site for all the tunes and videos.] Yet there is always a dichotomy as there is a nasty, snarly side revealed In Disguise. She Leaves most likely had a real deep underpinning to it as this is where the real brace of guitar and gutwrenching kicked in. End of the Reel towered as always and if this is not the song of the album, no song is. Then again If The Walls Could Talk is always whispering inside my head on a good day, and no doubt after the long drawn out tour to come Home is where they want to be with or without you. [Perhaps when they get home the rest of this story will finally come to light, in the meantime in the shadowplay Paint come to the centre of the city, waiting for you, yes you, dear Reader out there. Maybe even into the heart of a Gastown gone by, somewhere we would not really recommend late at night walking among the vampires by the Town Pump watching the Replacements wasted away on stage, having the time of their lives, or Go Four 3 at Railway Club. It’s just another day.]

It’s probably to the credit of their ever sighing to themselves that they tolerate our reminiscences upon those Irish lads from Dublin. But you too would hear it if you had been there live to hear Paint deliver their songs amidst all the celebration. They jettisoned all the Strangers patter and all the singular CFNY references and focused on the matter at hand. Playing and drinking Jameson’s til 4 a.m. It was a good night to celebrate with and for Paint. Paint look to the future or to take entirely out of context: “erase the past / get out of here fast.” Live fast, live to your conscience.

And did we ever have to run out of there fast to catch the last TTC back to the suburbs and live to write the tale.

Two little chunks of titanium rolled with Comply rubber tips are all that stand between me and listening to the television at nominal levels.

When amazon promises one day shipping you get one day shipping.

After a promising discussion with the newly minted singer of The Beatles about acoustic ear protection I decided to opt in for these Isolate Pro Titanium from Flare Audio with their promising “revolutionary ear protection” “noise blockers”. It was already past nine at night when we clicked and ordered, and this was a test [for Yours Truly] of the amazon promise. And it was in my mailbox by 10 a.m. Now that is why Fedex and Sears is going out of business.

Now I swear I can hear the roar of the ocean. “When fitted correctly, only bone conducting sound should be heard.

These blockers will be put to the test today at a roller derby bout in Royal City where the whistles will be loud and the audience crowd music may even be louder.

Do they feel comfortable? Yes, for now. Do they feel like their is something in your ears? Yes. What do we hear? Bit of the television volume from the commentary at the British Open and obviously the crowd is cheering from Rory McIlroy’s up and down putt.

A test I did try was playing Radiohead on my JVC portable cd player [they made those back then] and placing my Audio Technica ATH-M30x over top of my ears with the Isolate Pro in place. Even at maximum volume of 10 [this is not Spinal Tap] not much of the music could be heard.